Welcome To Mississippi

Nine and one half hours, four bathroom stops, one fill-up, four Happy Meals, two DVD's, five death threats and six CD's later we have arrived in South Mississippi to visit my family for the weekend.

This is my first trip home post Katrina. My Mom told us not to pull the truck and trailer through the front yard because of roofing tacks. That's code for "WE GOT A NEW ROOF!" Apparently they are in the minority as I saw countless blue tarpaulin covered roofs immediately after crossing the Mississippi River into Vicksburg all the way to home. Was joking with my dentist yesterday about making blue tarp curtains to match the roof. He thought it was a brilliant idea. As do I except I missed my 'window' of opportunity with my parent's house...

Every third tree is down or broken or clipped off. All power and telephone poles are brand spanking new. The back yard is still full of downed trees.


But some things are certainly back to normal. There is food on every flat surface at my Mom's house. The kids have already spread toys and books from one end of the house to the other and Uncle Sam has willingly played the Boogie Man - a role my girls demand each and every time they are in this house. Who knew having the pee scared out of you could be so much fun??!!

So tomorrow I go to the gulf coast. To go by my sister in law's new school and to meet these two fella's that kept me informed, entertained and sane (relatively speaking) post Katrina. I anticipate an emotionally exhausting day. If I'm lucky.
stay tuned...